President Tinubu Calls for Fair Energy Transition, Stronger ECO Trade Corridor
By Patience Ikpeme
President Bola Tinubu has called for an equitable energy transition that protects the economic interests of developing nations.
Speaking on Thursday at the 17th Summit of the Economic Cooperation Organisation (ECO), themed “New ECO Vision for a Sustainable and Climate-Resilient Future,” President Tinubu, represented by the Minister of Budget and Economic Planning, Senator Abubakar Bagudu, stated that a climate-resilient future is essential due to the adverse effects of climate change, which include devastating droughts, floods, desertification, and extreme heat waves.
“Nigeria, endowed with both fossil and renewable energy, also supports a just energy transition,” President Tinubu’s speech read on Friday. He sought the partnership of ECO members to broaden access to cleaner energy technologies, share technical knowledge, and invest in regional power pools to provide electricity to communities currently without it.
President Tinubu noted that since COP29, the world has recognized climate change not as a distant threat but as a clear and present danger. This is evident in severe droughts, floods, desertification, and intense heatwaves, which have deeply affected humanity, causing food insecurity, displacement, and economic disruption. Nigeria, as Africa’s most populous nation and an economic gateway to West Africa, stands ready to work closely with ECO member states to integrate climate adaptation, mitigation, and green industrialization into all aspects of their cooperation.
President Tinubu stated that Nigeria has taken deliberate steps to address climate change and related concerns. He mentioned that as the nation completes its National Development Plan (NDP) for 2021-2025, efforts are underway to develop a successor plan, the NDP for 2026-2030.
“It is not by accident that the Plan is designed to end in 2030, which is the deadline for the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs),” he told Summit participants, explaining that this ensures Nigeria remains on track with SDG implementation. He added that the plan also aims to integrate climate change and related issues, including diversification, adaptation, and mitigation, into the nation’s development planning for long-term sustainability.
President Tinubu argued that true sustainability is impossible without interconnected economies and that climate change challenges demand global resilience through stronger infrastructure, smarter energy systems, and the integration of trade corridors. Accordingly, he stated that Nigeria would advocate for a stronger ECO-Africa Trade Corridor. This corridor would involve harmonizing tariffs, streamlining customs procedures, and establishing multimodal logistics platforms capable of efficiently connecting Africa with the rest of the world.
He also stated that Nigeria would push for Energy Interoperability and Transition, clarifying that the shift from fossil fuels to renewable energy must be managed in a way that takes into account economies in transition. The President made a compelling case for inclusive growth, urging ECO members to prioritize empowering vulnerable groups.
“As we all know, no vision for sustainability is complete without inclusive growth,” he stated. “The benefits of trade, transport, and energy must reach rural farmers, fishing communities, livestock sector stakeholders, young people, and women entrepreneurs.”
Nigeria urges the ECO to empower youth through skills, entrepreneurship, and digital inclusion; promote gender equality in regional trade and energy access; and mobilize public-private partnerships to fund grassroots climate adaptation, from regenerative agriculture to local green enterprises. The path to 2030 and beyond, he added, must be built on policies that ensure no one is left behind.
President Tinubu said that as efforts are made to align with the outcomes of COP29, it is time for the ECO to emerge as a unified bloc championing climate justice, fair financing, and equitable trade terms on the global stage.
“Nigeria stands ready to support climate actions, invest in innovation, and protect our most vulnerable populations. Let our unity serve as both a shield and a ladder for resilience and shared prosperity” he said.
Describing the Summit as a defining moment, he urged the ECO to lead by example. “Let us imagine a future where our highways do not just move goods, but connect dreams. Where our power grids light up not just cities, but ideas. Where trade becomes a tool not for competition but for cooperation and peace.”
He extended gratitude to the Government and People of the Republic of Azerbaijan for their invitation and warm hospitality, commending President Heydar Oghlu Aliyev for hosting the Summit at a time of global uncertainties and economic challenges.
In his address, President Aliyev thanked the participants for their attendance, praising Azerbaijan’s active involvement in ECO’s activities. He mentioned that this year, for the first time, ECO Week is being held at Azerbaijan’s initiative, with forums for business, youth, and women having taken place in Shusha, Aghdam, and Lachin, respectively.
He also stated that work is underway to launch ECO’s Research Centre and Clean Energy Centre, which Azerbaijan will host, and expressed appreciation for the declaration of Shusha as the ECO Tourism Capital for 2026.
President Aliyev expressed delight that economic cooperation would be the main focus of the summit’s discussions, explaining that Azerbaijan benefits from a favorable investment climate that has drawn around $350 billion in investments over the past 20 years. He further stated that Azerbaijan has secured energy supplies for several nations and exports natural gas to 12 countries via multiple pipelines. Additionally, he noted that most ECO member states utilize their East-West and North-South transportation corridors that run across Azerbaijan.
The ECO was established in 1985 by Iran, Pakistan, and Turkey to foster economic, technical, and cultural cooperation among its member states. It succeeded the Regional Cooperation for Development (RCD), which operated from 1964 to 1979. The organization now includes Turkey, Iran, Pakistan (Founding Members), as well as Afghanistan, Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, and Turkmenistan.
